Chapter 3
"Fear is stupid, so are regrets."
Marilyn Monroe
The next morning it had turned surprisingly cold and Halloween was fast approaching. Rumors had spread all around the castle. Some people thought Dumbledore had hired The Weird Sisters to play at the halloween feast. Others said there would be pumpkins big enough to fit up to three people inside.
Marlene didn't really believe any of this, especially the rumor about vampires, mostly because the same rumors started flying every year around Halloween. The first Hogsmeade weekend was fast approaching and she was nervous about it. She wasn't entirely sure why. Sirius and her had gone over the plan at least a dozen times. Lily hadn't found out and James was starting to annoy her less and less.
Marlene blamed Sirius. He bothered her so much and everyone was starting to think they were together, which they weren't. I bet he wishes, she thought.
"What are you smirking about," Mary whispered. They were halfway through potions class. Marlene's hair had frizzed and the room was sweltering.
"Nothing," Marlene quickly answered. She had been daydreaming for the past couple minutes and hurriedly added some crushed beetles to her potion. It fizzed and turned a periwinkle color. To her left, Lily's was the perfect shade of royal blue. To her right, Mary's potion was purple.
"Ah excellent Ms. Evans," said Professor Slughorn coming over to their row. "Better than usual," he remarked to Marlene and Mary. Marlene rolled her eyes. Professor Slughorn was obsessed with Lily. His mustache, which in Marlene's opinion made him look a bit like a walrus, positively quivered when Lily raised her hand.
Marlene wasn't a huge fan of potions. Luckily their next class was Charms, her favorite and best class. Lily was also pretty skilled at Charms. The class was shortened today and there wasn't any homework, at least not for Marlene, and surprisingly, Sirius. They both managed to turn their water into wine.
"Cheers," said Sirius, clinking his glass against Marlene's and downing it in one go. Marlene rolled her eyes, then followed suit. She then spat out the wine, which was gross.
"Come on Marley," Mary said, tugging her sleeve. Marlene groaned. Mary wanted to go study by the lake, Marlene wanted to finish her game of exploding snap she had been playing with a friendly third year in the common room.
"Why can't Remus just go with you?" Marlene grumbled.
"He's helping Peter in the library," Mary answered as they tromped down the stairs. When Marlene had first started at Hogwarts, her legs were sore everyday. Now, however, she was used to all the walking.
As they walked along the lake, Marlene had to admit it was beautiful out. The sky was a perfect blue and there was a warm breeze. Some students already sat by the lake's edge, dipping their feet in, the giant squid tickling their toes.
Marlene was half way through quizzing Mary on potions when Sirius and, surprisingly, Lily, showed up.
"What were you two up to?" asked Mary suspiciously.
"I was just telling Lily about, um, how great flying conditions are today! We met on the way out of the castle," Sirius was obviously lying, Marlene would bother him about it later.
Ooh, you want to see him later, her brain teased.
Shut up! she told herself.
"We were just studying for potions," Mary was telling Sirius.
"I could help you if you want," said Lily, sitting down.
"God you three are boring," exclaimed Sirius.
"What makes you say that?" asked Marlene, closing the textbook.
"Studying? On a day like this?" said Sirius.
"Accio brooms!" he said, flicking his wand. There was a distant crashing noise and four broomsticks speed toward them. Sirius caught them and laid them on the ground.
"But there are five of us," James said, walking up. "I guess Evans, er, Lily, will just have to ride with me,"
"I am actually not opposed to that, ONLY because I know that James here is actually a good flier," said Lily.
Behind her back James high-fived Sirius.
I bet you wish Sirius wanted you to fly with him, the back of Marlene's brain teased again.
Obviously not, he knows I'm perfectly capable of flying on my own. In fact he's probably a little scared of how good I am! Marlene told herself.
Off they flew! Soaring over the grounds, high above Hogwarts and the lake.
"Are we allowed to do this?" Mary shouted above the wind.
"Who cares?!" Marlene yelled back.
"Now you're thinking, Marls!" Sirius said, flying by her. Marlene flew after him in hot pursuit. They spiraled and flipped all across the sky, weaving in and out, just the five of them. Lily clung thought to James, occasionally shutting her eyes and screaming.
"Hey Marls, do you know what a wronski-feint is?" said Sirius soaring by.
"No duh!" Marlene followed him into a sudden dive towards the surface of the lake.
Whooping, she gained on him. The moment before the last moment, she pulled up. Sirius kept going. Hurriedly, Marlene pulled out her wand and performed a cushioning charm, one of her specialties. Sirius hit the cushioning charm and sank into the water. Marlene neatly dropped into the water next to him. The water was shockingly cold and instantly soaked all the way through her robes
"How's it going?' Sirius asked, shaking the water out of his hair like a wet dog.
"Well, I'm sopping wet, freezing cold and in the middle of the lake with you. How do you think it's going?" She said.
"Swell," said Sirius, splashing her.
Marlene pushed him under.
"Are you two okay?" Mary called from the shore.
"Fine," Marlene said as she and Sirius swam over. Sopping wet and exhausted, Marlene dragged herself ashore. Lily helped her up.
"Ah! My ankle, I don't think I can stand on it," said Marlene, holding onto Lily for support.
"We better get you to the hospital wing, you must have sprained it" said Sirius, appearing behind her.
"Yeah. I can feel it swelling," Marlene grimaced. "Woah!" she yelled as Sirius picked her and began walking towards the castle. She could hear Lily giggling behind her back.
"Put me down!"
"How else are you going to get to the castle?" replied Sirius, nonchalantly.
"Ugh, I really don't like you sometimes," said Marlene, brushing a wet strand of hair of her face.
"What about other times," winked Sirius.
Marlene didn't respond.
"You should really lay off the treacle tart," Sirius said as they approached the hospital wing. He set Marlene down and let her lean on him, to keep weight off her ankle.
"You know Lily and Mary could have just brought me here," said Marlene. "But thanks." She dried them both off with a spell.
"Anytime," said Sirius brushing her hair back. Suddenly Marlene's ankle didn't hurt so much.
"You wish," she said. Sirius laughed, he threw back his head and laughed. Marlene laughed too.
"Why're you so smooth?" she murmured. Despite the fact he was wearing his robes, Marlene could smell the leather from his jacket, along with smoke and some sort of spice.
"I dunno, why are you so heavy?"
"Sirius!"
"I'm just kidding,"
However the back of Marlene's brain had taken over now and was determined not to let the moment be ruined. The only sound was the crackling of the torches. Marlene linked her hands around Sirius. Being the smooth person that be was, Sirius leaned down.
"YOU KISSED HIM?!" Lily yelled.
"Shhh!" Marlene said. "But yeah, and I'm not sure how to feel about it or what to do,"
The three of them were in an abandoned classroom. Luckily no one was around to hear Lily's yelling. It had taken Madam Pomfrey, the new, very young, nurse, about five seconds to heal Marlene's ankle.
"Just sit for a minute, then you can go," she had said.
Marlene, who had about a thousand things to tell Mary and Lily, had waited a good thirty seconds, then ran all the way to the common room.
"Well how do you feel about Sirius?" asked Mary.
"He annoys the crap out of me, but he's also nice sometimes. He's SO smooth and pretty good looking if I do say so myself," she said. "But don't EVER tell him I said that!" Marlene said as the three of them laughed.
"So stay with him," said Mary.
"I don't know…" said Marlene.
"Are you kidding me?!" Lily exclaimed. "Stay with him! You two are amazing together!"
"I guess we kinda are, but this is Sirius Black we're talking about. He's never had a real relationship in his life, and he's constantly in trouble,"
"So, like, talk it out with him!" Lily said excitedly.
"You know what, I totally will," said Marlene, getting up.
"Groovy," said Lily.
Marlene found Sirius in the corridor outside the Great Hall.
"Hey," he said as she walked over, the light from the torches reflecting in his eyes.
"Hey yourself," she said.
"So about Hogsmeade-" he began, before Marlene interrupted him.
"Uh Sirius, can we possibly talk about what happened? I mean, we've gone over the Hogsmeade plan like a million times. Or are you avoiding the subject?" She asked, poking him.
"I'm going to be honest with you, which I rarely do," said Sirius. "I do like you Marlene, but I've liked lots of other girls before and it's never ended well. I don't know if you want a relationship or what, but honestly I'm not that good at all of this stuff,"
"Hey at least you're honest," said Marlene, not deterred. "Maybe we should take it slow. I like you a lot Sirius, and I think you like me too. I also think you've been in far too many relationships that have crashed and burned. I think we both need time to think-"
"I think you're smart about stuff like this, but you also talk a lot," said Sirius pulling her into a hug.
Marlene laughed. "So I guess this is your first real relationship,"
"I guess it is," said Sirius, smiling down at her.
As they walked down the corridor together, Marlene asked the thing that had been nagging at the back of her mind, "So what were you and Lily really talking about?"
A/N - I hope you liked it! Please, please, please review!